Bangalore Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers, IPL final, Johannesburg

Deccan snatch title in tense finish

May 24, 2009

Deccan Chargers 143 for 6 (Gibbs 53*, Kumble 4-16) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 137 for 9 (Ojha 3-28, Symonds 2-18) by six runs

How they were out

	Andrew Symonds was gutted when he got out, but made up with his aggressive fielding and body language, and smart bowling © Associated Press

Deccan Chargers invoked the bull in their emblem to successfully defend a modest total, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore and win a tournament they had ended up last in the previous season. They bowled with fire, fielded aggressively and sledged and hustled - almost literally - to victory in a final that twisted and turned and lived up to the occasion.

The last of those turning points was the 15th over, bowled by Andrew Symonds, who matched his verbal skills from earlier in the night with the wickets of Ross Taylor and Virat Kohli off back-to-back deliveries. Bangalore were 99 for 6 when the over started, and Taylor had looked dangerous during his 20-ball 27. That Symonds over, though, was symbolic of the night: every time a batsman got away from the bowling, a breakthrough pulled the batting side back.

Defending a total three less than what Bangalore chased easily in the semi-final, Deccan came out pumped, their energy reflecting in their behaviour. Symonds shadowed the latest tyro, Manish Pandey, all the way from the dugout to the crease. Pandey was a marked man during his innings. Symonds followed him wherever he went, giving him lip. Ryan Harris matched the aggression with the ball, clocking 145kmph constantly in the first over, a maiden.

Jacques Kallis looked to take the pressure off his 19-year-old partner. In Harris' next over Kallis took two boundaries to get the chase going. RP Singh brought the balance back when Kallis pulled onto his stumps but out came Roelof van der Merwe, who used adrenalin to push Bangalore further towards the target.

Prime Numbers 31 Runs scored by Deccan during the Powerplay. It was their least score in the first six overs this season 152.30 Adam Gilchrist's strike-rate, the best for any batsman with more than 250 runs 23 The number of wickets that earned RP Singh the purple cap. Kumble was second with 21 2 Number of times Kumble has taken four wickets or more in the tournament. Yusuf Abdulla and Shadab Jakati are the others with two 2 Number of times in seven games the team batting first has won a night game in Johannesburg

van der Merwe got a mouthful from Symonds and Harris, but he responded by hitting two sixes off one Harris over. Despite the maiden, Harris had gone for 23 in three overs. Even after Pragyan Ojha got Pandey with the first ball he bowled, van der Merwe's pyrotechnics kept Deccan at a distance.

One ball summed up the adrenalin rush van der Merwe was feeling. Beaten in the flight by Ojha he managed an edge which saved him from being stumped but he also dropped his bat. He picked his bat up as he ran the first run, and turned a two into a three, saving himself from the run-out by sprinting down the middle of the pitch and diving into the stumps at the non-striker's end.

One six later the adrenalin got the better of van der Merwe as he jumped out to Ojha and was stumped. The tension was palpable, and it sort of got to a senior pro like Rahul Dravid too. As Bangalore targeted Harmeet Singh, Dravid missed a scoop and was bowled. Bangalore still held the edge, though, with Taylor and Mark Boucher in.

Taylor looked like taking Bangalore home coolly, hitting three fours and a six, until Symonds got him on the pull, with a touch of extra bounce. Adam Gilchrist pulled off a smart stumping down the leg side next ball, and it was all down to Boucher now.

Gilchrist tried to get through Harmeet's last over, during which the youngster claimed Boucher on the cut. The bowling allocation was planned perfectly: RP had two left, and Ojha and Harris one each. Bangalore, with two wickets in hand, needed 27 from the last two overs, and 15 from the last, but RP Singh and Ryan Harris kept their cool despite a six from Robin Uthappa.

Amid the tension of the second innings one felt for Anil Kumble, who spent the most of the last over at the non-striker's end and saw his dream crash. Earlier Kumble had celebrated like a teenager but bowled like the veteran champion he is, and kept Deccan down to a manageable target.

He bowled the first over of the match, took Gilchrist out, then came back in the ninth to dismiss Symonds. That wicket was crucial because Symonds had been dropped on 5 by Dravid, and was reminding Bangalore eerily of the line his batting partner Herschelle Gibbs was apocryphally told during the 1999 World Cup. Kumble again came on in the 17th over to break a dangerous 52-run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Gibbs, when the two had taken Deccan to 110 for 3.

Towards the end Gibbs played a bizarre little innings. He had been inconspicuous in his struggle to score runs earlier, and didn't make much effort to farm the strike in the end. He faced only six balls in the last three overs, and kept taking twos in the last over to hand the strike over to Harris. He had batted the whole 20 overs for less than 60, much like Sachin Tendulkar, in more trying conditions, had in the first match of the tournament. Somehow they both ended up winning.

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers, IPL final, Johannesburg

Time to complete perfect turnaround

May 23, 2009

Match facts

May 24, 2009
Start time 16.30 local, (14:30 GMT)

Big Picture

	Anil Kumble has bowled like the champion he is © Associated Press

And so, as a blockbuster second season of the IPL reaches its summit, two of its biggest success stories clash in the finale in Johannesburg. They also happen to be the two most unlikely sides given how they fared in 2008. Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore were the two bottom-placed teams then, now they've busted out of the basement and made the house their own.

Not many would have given Deccan or Bangalore a chance this year to get to the top four. But having pulled off amazing turnarounds and tasted difficult periods earlier in the tournament, both teams have undoubtedly deserved to get where they are today.

Deccan started with four wins, imposed themselves, stumbled, but got it together when it mattered. The manner in which they - rather their captain Adam Gilchrist - crushed Delhi Daredevils in the semi-final was stirring. Gilchrist has led the side well and has been their top run-getter for the second season running. Apart from RP Singh, owner of the purple cap, there haven't been true stand-out performers. Herschelle Gibbs has been inconsistent, Pragyan Ojha has lost some bite in the latter stages, and while Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds have contributed they haven't been stunning.

If Deccan have been inconsistent, Bangalore reached the worst level of desperation. The last match they lost in this tournament was the last they could afford to. And they have won their last five games, much like Australia's victorious campaign in the 1999 World Cup.

The major factor in Bangalore's rise has been Anil Kumble, who took over the captaincy from a beleaguered Kevin Pietersen. In 2008 Bangalore's selections of a few final XIs raised some eyebrows, but most unflattering was their habit of choking when victory was in front of them. Kumble changed all that by setting an example that the seniors followed.

Bangalore's younger Indian players didn't start off well at all, but the seniors' performances started to rub off. Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar and Virat Kohli have chipped in with vital contributions to keep the team buoyant in the competition. This has been a team that has paid a lot of attention to preparation.

On form - they've won five in a row, four of them against semi-finalists - Bangalore are a confident side and will be boosted by the knowledge that they beat Deccan last time. However, after forcefully knocking out the top-ranked side in the semi-finals, Deccan will be confident as they face their southern compatriots. Both Gilchrist and Kumble have handled the captaincy with aplomb, and will not want to let the slightest chance go abegging.

Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: WWWWW
Manish Pandey's rise has been exceptional. Hardly given a run last season, he delivered with the first IPL century by an Indian and followed up with another Man-of-the-Match effort in the semi-final. Statistically and psychologically Pandey's form will worry Deccan, because that century came against them. Cameos from Taylor and Kohli have come at right times, and Kumble and Roelof van der Merwe have delivered in pressure situations with their varieties of spin.

Deccan Chargers: WLLWL
Deccan rode into the final on Gilchrist's broad blade and shoulders; an encore should seal them the trophy. The bowling got itself together after Tillakaratne Dilshan and Virender Sehwag threatened to run riot, but what Deccan really need is for Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma to click. Gibbs made a duck after hitting a brisk half-century in the final league match, and Rohit has only one half-century in the tournament. If he can replicate either of the two flawless finishes against Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab, Rohit can be a big threat.

Watch out for

Adam Gilchrist v Praveen Kumar: Brutal objective v crafty swing bowling. Cosmic experience v smart head on young shoulders. As it stands, it's 2-0 to Praveen. Surprising as it may sound, Praveen took Gilchrist out, early, in both the finals of the CB Series last year. In two matches this season Gilchrist has taken just 18 runs off 12 balls from Praveen. Gilchrist won't count it as a decisive comeback.

RP Singh v Manish Pandey: The IPL's highest wicket-taker against the latest young star to emerge. RP hasn't been at his best over the last few games, and Pandey has two Man-of-the-Match awards on the trot. During his century Pandey faced nine balls from RP, and took 20 runs, including a big six over long-on. RP has loads of experience to go with success against better batsmen, so how he varies his craft against an enthusiastic and trigger-happy opener is an intriguing battle.

	A typical big-match knock from Adam Gilchrist could make the final one-sided © Associated Press

Anil Kumble v Rohit Sharma and Gilchrist: Kumble has led superbly with the ball in Bangalore's winning streak. In Bangalore's last game against Deccan, Kumble dismissed Rohit first ball and allowed Gilchrist only five runs from eight balls. In their earlier match Rohit hit 24 runs off 10 Kumble deliveries and Gilchrist took 13 from 11. Kumble will need to be at his craftiest best against two of Deccan's sweetest hitters.

Team news

With B Akhil injured for the semi-final, Bangalore recalled R Vinay Kumar. His first three overs cost 32, but Vinay picked up Matthew Hayden and then Jacob Oram in the final over, which only cost six runs. He should keep his place, meaning Bangalore are likely to field an unchanged side.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: (probable) 1 Manish Pandey, 2 Jacques Kallis, 3 Roelof van der Merwe, 4 Rahul Dravid, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Virat Kohli, 7 Robin Uthappa, 8 Mark Boucher (wk), 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 R Vinay Kumar, 11 Anil Kumble (capt.).

If D Ravi Teja recovers from a hamstring injury he may come back for Azhar Bilakhia. Ryan Harris should hold his place after that two-wicket first over against Delhi.

Deccan Chargers: 1 Adam Gilchrist (capt./wk), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 T Suman, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Azhar Bilakhia/D Ravi Teja, 7 Venugopal Rao, 8 Harmeet Singh, 9 Pragyan Ojha, 10 Ryan Harris, 11 RP Singh.

Stats and trivia

• Eight batsmen have scored more than 350 in the tournament, but only one of them - Adam Gilchrist - will be on view in the final. Kallis, Bangalore's highest scorer, has an aggregate of 346.

• Teams chasing have won five out of six times in night games in Johannesburg. In all three games that Bangalore have played here, they've chased and won.

• Gilchrist has scored 86 runs off 63 balls in two innings against Bangalore. In contrast Kallis, Bangalore's highest run-scorer, has only scored 20 off 21 balls in two innings against Deccan. Pandey, though, scored 114 in just one game.

• Bangalore's five wins in a row equal's Chennai's winning streak earlier in the IPL, and is a record for this tournament.

Head-to-head record

The last time these teams met Pandey downed Deccan with a century in Centurion. Prior to that Gilchrist and Rohit's power-hitting ensured Deccan romped to a 24-run win earlier this season, in Cape Town. Bangalore won both their matches last year: the first one a thriller by three runs, and the next comfortably by five wickets.

Glenn McGrath hints that he may not play in IPL 2010

This year's IPL was prone to this one sight that was unfathomable for the player in question whilst he was still active in international cricket. Former Australian bowler and one of the true all-time-greats of the game, Glenn McGrath was consistently seen to be cooling his heels on the sidelines as his team, the Delhi Daredevils opted to not play him. Not that his side did not play a single overseas paceman as his fellow Australian mate, Dirk Nannes was preferred over McGrath to lead the attack. Pigeon, as McGrath is nicknamed, in his various interviews has often stated, like a true team man, that he's fine with whatever the team thinks is the right composition.

But in a newspaper column on the eve of his team's semi-final clash against the Deccan Chargers, he did give a glimpse of how hurt he was from within. Moreover, he went on to say that there was a chance that he may choose to not participate in next year's IPL. The 124-Test veteran also said that he was privy to a theory going around that he may have been benched as the team management had doubts over his fitness. This has apparently hurt him even more as the professional that he's been over the years was not even given a single chance to prove his match-fitness. Though his contract to play for the season of 2010 as well, 'Pigeon' did hint that he may not be too keen to return.

In a separate story but one that has its links with McGrath's tale stated above, coach of the Delhi Daredevils, Greg Shipperd has joined the chorus of people who've been pitching in for more foreigners to be included in a playing XI. Earlier, John Buchanan too had stated that he'd want to have more number of overseas players in his side. The IPL on previous occasions have quite categorically stated that this demand would not be adhered to and Stephen Fleming, coach of the Chennai Super Kings also seemed to go along with the rulings of the IPL governing council. In their opinion, it's the 'Indian' Premier League after all and its only fair that more number of Indian players benefit from the experience of playing in front of such a big stage.

Today's Live Cricket Match 23 May 2009

	Delhi Daredevils Vs Mumbai Indians
Venue :SuperSport Park, Centurion Live action starts from: 14:30 GMT (20:00 IST) T20 IPL 2009 Match
DD Vs MI

Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils, IPL semi-final, Centurion

Raging Gilchrist carries Deccan into the final

May 22, 2009

Deccan Chargers 154 for 4 (Gilchrist 85) beat Delhi Daredevils 153 for 8 (Dilshan 65, Sehwag 39, Harris 3-27) by six wickets

	Adam Gilchrist made the semi-final his own © Associated Press

There's no rust on this baby. Adam Gilchrist didn't just blow the Delhi Daredevils out with a blitzkrieg but also backed up his vow at the end of a disappointing 2008 to give fans in Hyderabad more to cheer for in 2009. Gilchrist played a pivotal role in bringing last season's wooden spoon holders this far and tonight, in the cauldron of a semi-final, he treated Centurion to a stunning display of hitting. His assault on Delhi's bewildered bowlers turned what threatened to be a tricky chase into a no-contest as Deccan chased down 154 with six wickets in hand and 16 balls to spare. Deccan have duly earned the right to be in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Gilchrist had looked like a man with a plan when, at the toss, he said Deccan would field and try and keep the opposition to an achievable target. With teams not always chasing down totals in the vicinity of 160 easily under lights at Centurion, Deccan's chase wasn't expected to be an easy one. It took Gilchrist five deliveries to dismiss such thoughts. Dirk Nannes, one of the success stories of this IPL, was flayed for five consecutive boundaries in the first over, Gilchrist pulling, cutting and driving with power. Nannes was not needed again until the 17th over, when the result was decided.

That assault set a trend that continued though Gilchrist's innings as he made the semi-final his own. Ashish Nehra bowled Herschelle Gibbs for a duck but Gilchrist was in a hurry, clobbering Pradeep Sangwan's first three balls for four, four and six. No frills, just excellent bat speed and powerful wrists. In three overs Deccan were 41 for 1, out of which Nehra's first over cost just three.

Nehra's second was nowhere as controlled. Gilchrist drove a no-ball for four and drilled the free hit for a straight six to raise Deccan's fifty in 23 deliveries - his contribution being 48 from 14 balls. His half-century needed just 17 balls, the fastest of the IPL. Virender Sehwag came on for the first and last time in the tournament, with Gilchrist plundering three successive sixes in a 25-run over. It was the Gilchrist of old, the man who put the fear of God in bowlers the world over.

Why Sehwag brought himself on before Amit Mishra and the crafty Rajat Bhatia on a sluggish track will go down as one of the IPL's blunders, because the legspinner struck almost immediately. Gilchrist fell for a superb 85 from 35 balls one delivery before the strategic break, but the damage had been done. Mishra then cut Andrew Symonds off before he could finish the job. Rohit Sharma walked out with 17 required from 38 balls and closed the deal in T Suman's company.

Prime Numbers 294.11 Gilchrist's strike rate when reached his half century, off 17 balls 21 The number of runs scored in the first over of Deccan's innings, the second-best in the tournament. Rajasthan managed 22 against Kolkata in their second meeting this season 70 The number of runs scored in boundaries by Gilchrist, joint-highest with Raina for the tournament 382 Runs scored by Gilchrist in the first six overs of an innings, 115 clear of the next best, Chennai's Matthew Hayden 4 The number of ducks by Gibbs, the most in the tournament 5 Number of matches won chasing by Deccan, of their eight wins 4.571 The economy rate of the Delhi spinners during their seven overs today

Matters had veered to and fro throughout the first half of this match but Deccan's reining Delhi into 153 ultimately proved decisive. Tillakaratne Dilshan had played a crucial hand, holding it together after Delhi's openers fell to Ryan Harris in the first over, and then providing the momentum as well when quick runs were needed. Then Deccan regrouped through Symonds and Harmeet Singh initially and Harris and RP Singh thereafter, only allowing Delhi 70 in the last ten overs.

A scoreline of 0 for 2 had little bearing on Dilshan. He led a charmed life, pulling his first ball just over deep backward square leg's fingertips for six and edging the second between gully and slip for four. Then Sehwag nearly ran him out next ball when he punched the ball to midwicket and then changed his mind.

While Sehwag got tall to work the ball to the leg side, Dilshan preferred to back away and squeeze it through backward point and third man. He used the uncomplicated strategy of judging the length early and then slapping it either off the back foot or front. When Pragyan Ojha slowed his pace and offered room Dilshan flayed him for boundaries, and when Symonds did the same he was cut away. Gilchrist was given a tough time in setting a field for Dilshan, who was adept at picking runs anywhere in the park. A drop behind the stumps, when Dilshan was 30, didn't help.

After a maiden first over, Delhi scored 83 in nine. Runs came thick and fast and Gilchrist turned back to Symonds, who finally broke an 85-run alliance with a straighter one that Sehwag needlessly tried to paddle. Symonds and Harmeet choked run and Deccan did well to take four wickets, including two run outs, in the 20th over that only cost eight. Sehwag would have been pleased with 153 after Delhi were 0 for 2 but that was before Gilchrist stepped up. Delhi have now been thrashed in consecutive IPL semi-finals after dominating the league stages.

Gilchrist's praises have been sung in this tournament - he came into the game leading their run list - and tonight he deserved no less than a chorus.

Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils, IPL semi-final, Centurion

Delhi start as clear favourites

May 22, 2009

Match facts

May 22, 2009
Start time 16.30 local, (14:30 GMT)

Big Picture

	Ashish Nehra is Delhi's leading wicket-taker, but he hasn't been at his best against Deccan © AFP

Thirty-four days after IPL 2009 kicked off, it's finally time to leave the comforts of the round-robin stages behind. These 34 days were a test of endurance but there was also a reassurance, at most times, that a defeat wasn't the end of the story. There'll be no such second chance on Friday though when Delhi Daredevils take on Deccan Chargers in the first semi-final in Centurion.

The journey to the last four stage has been contrasting for the two teams. Both started similarly, winning their first three matches, but whereas Delhi continued their strong performance throughout the five weeks, winning ten games, Deccan fell away alarmingly with just three wins in their last ten matches.

On current form, Delhi have to start off as favourites: Virender Sehwag's return to form has further boosted an already fantastic batting line-up. AB de Villiers has guided the middle order superbly, and is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, while Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Karthik have lent him excellent support. The three left-arm seamers - Ashish Nehra, Dirk Nannes and Pradeep Sangwan - have been on top of their form, while Amit Mishra and Rajat Bhatia have ensured there is hardly any weak link in the bowling. Overall, there are hardly any chinks in the side, and their consistency is largely due to the fact that so many different players have put their hands up at various points of the tournament.

Deccan, on the other hand, go into the game with little momentum, having lost their last two matches. The openers, Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs, have often got them off to terrific starts, but an inconsistent middle order has been their bane: whereas de Villiers averages more than 54, and Karthik and Dilshan almost 40, Rohit Sharma, T Suman and Dwayne Smith all average in the 20s, with only Andrew Symonds (38.40) getting the runs consistently. Unlike Delhi, Deccan's bowling has a few weak links too, though the part-timers, led by Rohit, have done a fine job so far. However, in a format in which ten minutes of sheer brilliance can decide the fate of a game, Deccan have enough matchwinners to turn a game.

Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)

Delhi Daredevils: WLWLW
Sehwag is back among the runs, while Gautam Gambhir helped himself to a few as well against Mumbai. The bowling isn't a worry, and the lack of intensity, which was noticeable in a few round-robin games after they'd qualified, isn't likely to be a factor in a semi-final.

Deccan Chargers: LLWLW
The tendency to lose wickets at key moments remains a problem area, as does the patchy bowling. RP Singh is the leading wicket-taker, but he won't be happy with his most recent effort, when he leaked 47 in four overs against Mumbai.

Watch out for

RP Singh v Ashish Nehra: They are the two leading wicket-takers in the tournament, with Nehra two behind RP Singh's 20, and how the two bowlers handle the pressure of a big game could be key to their team's chances.

Virender Sehwag v Herschelle Gibbs: Both are proven matchwinners but have had some blips in the tournament. A few overs of either out in the middle, and the opposition could be reeling.

AB de Villiers v Andrew Symonds: They are the two main middle-order men for their teams. Deccan's inconsistency, though, probably means they are more dependent on Symonds than Delhi are on de Villiers. Symonds is a big-match player and the pressure of a knockout game might just bring out the best in him.

Team news

Nehra was rested for the game against Mumbai and will definitely return, probably at the expense of Avishkar Salvi, who was pretty impressive as well. David Warner has been among the runs and could continue opening despite Sehwag's return to form. The impressive displays by the bowlers means Glenn McGrath and Daniel Vettori will probably miss out again.

Delhi Daredevils: (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 David Warner, 3 Virender Sehwag (capt), 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Rajat Bhatia, 8 Dirk Nannes, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Pradeep Sangwan, 11 Ashish Nehra.

Deccan might go in with the same team that lost to Bangalore. Ryan Harris has taken only two wickets in six games, but he might still be preferred over Chaminda Vaas, who hasn't got a game since disappearing for 52 from his four overs against Delhi. The last bowling slot remains a worry, with Jaskaran Singh, Harmeet Singh and Shoaib Maqsusi all going for plenty.

Deccan: (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist (capt & wk), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 T Suman, 4 Andrew Symonds, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Venugopal Rao, 7 Azhar Bilakhia, 8 Ryan Harris, 9 RP Singh, 10 Pragyan Ojha, 11 Jaskaran Singh/Harmeet Singh.

Stats and trivia

• Delhi are marginally ahead of Deccan in both batting and bowling: they average 29.52 per wicket while batting, at 7.72 per over. Deccan average 23.19 at 7.90. With the ball, Delhi average 19.64 per wicket, at 7.46 per over; for Deccan the corresponding numbers are 22.54 and 7.56.

• In his last three matches, Nehra has bowled 11 overs, conceded 35 runs, and taken three wickets - an average of 11.67, at an economy rate of 3.18. In his two matches against Deccan, though, Nehra has leaked 77 runs in eight overs, for an average of 25.67 at an economy rate of 9.62. This is the most expensive he has been against any team.

• Sehwag's half-century was the 11th score of 50 or more by a Delhi batsman. Deccan have achieved this only seven times.

• Chasing a target might be a better option against Delhi: in six games when Delhi have batted first, they've won three and lost as many. Of eight games when they've chased a target, they've won seven, with only one loss, against Chennai by 18 runs.

• Left-arm fast bowlers have taken 48 out of 87 wickets for Delhi.

Head-to-head record

Delhi have the clear advantage, having beaten Deccan on both occasions in this tournament. In their first clash, they easily chased down 149 with six wickets and eight balls to spare. In their next encounter, Deccan made a hash of their run-chase, falling 12 runs short. The first game between them was at Centurion, the venue of the semi-final.

Since Delhi won both times in 2008 as well, it means Deccan have never beaten their semi-final opponents in four tries.

Today's Live Cricket Match 22 May 2009to

	Delhi Daredevils Vs Hyderabad Deccan Chargers
Venue :SuperSport Park, Centurion Live action starts from: 14:30 GMT (20:00 IST) T20 IPL 2009 Twenty20 match Match LIVE ON SONY SET MAX
DD Vs HDC

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers, IPL, Centurion

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers, IPL, Centurion

Pandey century takes Bangalore to No. 3

May 21, 2009

Royal Challengers Bangalore 170 for 4 (Pandey 114*) beat Deccan Chargers 158 for 6 (Gibbs 60, Akhil 2-18, Kumble 2-23) by 12 runs

	Hail the first Indian centurion of the IPL at Centurion © Associated Press

In a campaign that has included matches insipid and inspiring Royal Challengers Bangalore have well and truly come to life. Maintaining the momentum of three consecutive wins, they pulled the rug from under Deccan Chargers' feet and went to No. 3 in the points table, setting up a semi-final clash with the Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. Deccan will play Delhi Daredevils in Friday's semi-final.

At the end of a clinical win, Bangalore can thank Manish Pandey and RP Singh. Promoting Pandey to open in a pressure situation, Bangalore nearly lost him in the third over but RP's gross misjudgment at third man settled the nerves and then some. Either cutting solidly or swatting and slapping with efficiency rather than grace, Pandey grabbed the opportunity and notched up just the second century this season - and the first by an Indian in either season. Few in South Africa would have heard of the Under-19 batsman before today but should remember him after this amazing effort.

Teams have struggled to defend under lights at Centurion, and Bangalore were put on the backfoot as Herschelle Gibbs waded into the attack. But Anil Kumble took pace off the ball and once Gibbs and Andrew Symonds were dismissed in relative succession it all got too tough for Deccan.

RP's drop in the third over came after Jacques Kallis pulled his seventh ball to short square leg. It proved a costly error. Pandey began his innings looking out of sorts, twice inside-edging Ryan Harris on the bounce to Adam Gilchrist and top-edging safely to third man. Batting as though Bangalore needed to chase 250, Pandey clouted the ball through the leg side with abandon.

Roelof van der Merwe showed a liking for RP on the leg side, twice crashing him over through and over mid-on for boundaries, and weighed in with 23 from 18 balls. After he was well stumped off Symonds in the tenth over, Pandey weighed the situation and hung on. By this time he was 33, and on resumption after the strategic break dumped T Suman's offspin for consecutive sixes to raise his half-century. Now his timing had improved considerably and Bangalore were going at seven an over.

Very strong through the leg side, Pandey's main scoring option was the swipe across the line. RP returned to bowl the 14th over and Pandey reminded him of his reprieve, swatting and edging fours. He continued the same way after Pragyan Ojha accounted for Rahul Dravid in the next over, clearing his front leg and slogging against the turn. The caress - Pandey steered Jaskaran for four - was followed by the clubbed - next ball disappeared for six - and the fortuitous - an edge beat Gilchrist for four - as Pandey moved to 97 at the end of the 17th over.

Prime Numbers 410 The number of runs scored by Gilchrist in the tournament. He becomes the fourth batsman to go past the 400-mark 45 The number of runs conceded by Praveen Kumar, making it the second-most expensive spell by a Bangalore bowler this season. Kallis went for 51 off his four overs against Kings XI Punjab in their first meeting this season 106 The number of runs scored in the last 10 overs by Bangalore 3 The number of half-centuries for Gibbs in the tournament, making him the batsman with most fifty-plus scores for Deccan

The landmark came up with a single down the ground and there wasn't much fanfare. Virat Kohli took a cue and pulled six more, followed by a top edge that dropped safely between two clueless fielders, and deposited the last ball over the ropes. That last over summed up the course the two teams had run.

With Gilchrist struggling for timing, Gibbs took over the responsibility of scoring and did so in imitable fashion. He survived a shout against an Kumble topspinner when on 5 but didn't refrain from walking across his stumps, lapping and pulling the bowlers to distraction. Kallis hobbled off with a troublesome hamstring and Gibbs decided to take on Praveen Kumar. The first two balls were short-arm-flicked for sixes, the third was lapped for four, and Gilchrist put away a low full toss. Gibbs then dismissed van der Merwe for a couple of sixes upon introduction. Taking full toll of the half-volleys and stray balls that were on offer, Gibbs blasted 45 of the 68 runs added by the openers, lashing boundaries on both sides of the wicket.

He was dropped on 49 - soon after Gilchrist went for 15 - but didn't do much damage after Deccan went into the strategic break on a healthy 79 for 1. Symonds walked out in the 11th over after Kumble got Suman, and Rohit Sharma followed him in second ball of the 15th when Gibbs lost his grip and skied one to a tumbling Pandey in the deep. With 52 needed in five, Kumble called back van der Werwe and he bowled Symonds first ball. The pressure was on Rohit and Venugopal Rao but neither contributed; Rao was run out in the 18th over and in the next Rohit lofted Kumble to a very calm Kohli at long-on. The 26 needed off the final over was too much.

Bangalore showed an intensity that indicated how keen they were to erase the loss from the last time these two teams met. Pandey has said he would like to join the army, like his father, if he is unable to become a professional cricketer. If he can score hundreds like this going forward he won't need to reach for that application form.

"Chennai favourites to win the title"

"Chennai favourites to win the title"

Delhi Daredevils might have been the most consistent side in the IPL2, but Shane Warne feels Chennai might end up winning the title.

Delhi are sitting atop the points table, but they are not "best" according to Warne.

Delhi are perched at the top, having accumulated 18 points from nine wins off 13 matches and looked a balanced side all through.

But Rajasthan Royals skipper and former Australian leg-spinner think otherwise.

"I don't think Delhi Daredevils are the best side in the competition. I think it is Chennai Super Kings who look a better side. And Chennai Super Kings are probably the favourites to win," he said Warne's team failed to reach even the semifinal stage this year, owing to batting failure.

Chennai, who booked their lat-four stage berth last night after beating Kings XI Punjab, are placed second in the points table with 17 points.

The last year's finalists' skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was naturally happy to be termed as favourite side.

"It feels good when somebody reckons you as the favourites in the tournament," he said.

IPL T20 Result Update

51st match: Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders at Centurion - May 18, 2009
Kolkata Knight Riders won by 7 wickets (with 0 balls remaining)
Chennai Super Kings 188/3 (20/20 ov); Kolkata Knight Riders 189/3 (20/20 ov)

52nd match: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Daredevils at Johannesburg - May 19, 2009
Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 7 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)
Delhi Daredevils 134/7 (20/20 ov); Royal Challengers Bangalore 135/3 (19/20 ov)

53rd match: Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals at Durban - May 20, 2009
Kolkata Knight Riders won by 4 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)
Rajasthan Royals 101/9 (20/20 ov); Kolkata Knight Riders 102/6 (19.3/20 ov)

54th match: Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab at Durban - May 20, 2009
Chennai Super Kings won by 24 runs
Chennai Super Kings 116/9 (20/20 ov); Kings XI Punjab 92/8 (20/20 ov)

Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab, IPL, Durban

Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab, IPL, Durban

Chennai deal Punjab killer blow in low-scorer

May 20, 2009

Chennai Super Kings 116 for 9 (Parthiv 32, Sreesanth 2-23) beat Kings XI Punjab 92 for 8 (Pomersbach 26, Murali 2-8, Ashwin 2-13) by 24 runs

	The frustration got to Yuvraj Singh who backed away and lost his stumps to a shooter from Suresh Raina © Associated Press

It didn't rain runs in either of the two matches at Kingsmead but there was no shortage of entertainment value as the bowlers called the shots in what is regarded as a sloggers' game. When Chennai Super Kings limped to what looked like a barely defendable 116, Kings XI Punjab trooped off with the belief that a confirmed semi-final berth was just an hour-and-a-half away. But they were treated to a harsh lesson by Chennai's spinners, led by the wily Muttiah Muralitharan, and never at any stage since their introduction did Punjab look like matching the mounting asking rate.

The stern test couldn't have come at a worse time for Punjab, who after this defeat, became the favourites not to make the semi-finals. Chennai were virtually in the top four before this match but the 24-run win only tightened their grip at second place.

MS Dhoni, at the toss, justified the addition of an extra offspinner by pointing to the number of left-handers in the line-up. The strategy worked as the trio of offspinners - Muralitharan, R Ashwin and Suresh Raina - choked the runs and forced them into taking risks. The figures tell the story - their combined quota of 12 overs cost only 38 runs and yielded six wickets.

The most decisive phase in the chase was Muralitharan's spell. He came in when Chennai conceded 13 off an over by Thilan Thushara - the most expensive of the innings - and struck soon with the wicket of Simon Katich, who lost his legstump after shuffling across too far. The ball gripped, stopped on the batsmen and on the whole made scoring very difficult. The array of left-handers struggled to milk the singles, let alone find the odd boundary and went into their shell by shouldering arms.

Sensing the truckload of pressure the batsmen had been putting on themselves, Dhoni, interestingly, didn't over-attack the batsmen and instead placed fielders at the boundary, trying to tempt the batsmen into hitting out. Though the boundary riders came into play only towards the fag end of the innings, the pressure tactics applied by Dhoni contributed to Punjab's capitulation.

Even Yuvraj Singh was rendered clueless, plodding around for 18 deliveries for his six before he backed away in desperation and lost his stumps to a shooter from Suresh Raina. Punjab earlier pinned their hopes on Luke Pomersbach - one among only two batsmen to cross double figures - but he too fell to the spinners, edging Murali to slip.

Prime Numbers 3 The number of batsmen with 400+ runs in the tournament, Raina being the latest addition to the list 8.48 Chennai's average run-rate in the first six overs of the innings, the highest in the tournament 12 The number of overs in which Punjab scored less than five runs 8 The number of runs conceded by Muralitharan in the most economical spell by a Chennai bowler. In fact, offspinners today conceded only 38 runs of 12 overs 4 The number of matches in which the least number of sixes (just three) were hit. Punjab were involved in three of the matches

In the five-over passage before the time-out, Punjab managed only 16 runs. Now with the loss of those two wickets, plus the fall of Kumar Sangakkara, the run-rate dipped to three an over, unimaginable by Twenty20 standards. None of the three spinners looked easy to get away. Murali used flight and got it to grip and turn; Raina bowled a much flatter trajectory and forced the batsmen to check using their feet; Ashwin relied on bowling a more stump-to -stump line. The frustration of not being able to put away the only spinner in the trio without international experience forced Sangakkara into chipping one back to Ashwin.

From there, the innings was a freefall and there was an air of inevitability to the result by the 15th over. Punjab's capable lower-order hitters couldn't quite turn the script around, and it was all over when 32 was needed off the final over.

The worried faces at the dugout was in sheer contrast to when the inimitable Sreesanth nearly scaled the entire perimeter of the outfield in celebration after pegging back Dhoni's offstump with an inswinging yorker. Back then, Punjab had Chennai in a spot of bother at 70 for 4 in the tenth over, wrecking a brisk opening stand of 40 between George Bailey and Parthiv Patel.

Their stand was the only passage of play in the entire match which witnessed some fluency in the strokeplay. They lost control when Ramesh Powar came on in the fifth over, which brought a run-out. Powar was just as effective as Chennai's spinners, keeping the runs down and applying pressure on the batsmen to build on the opening stand.

Sreesanth's double-strike dented Chennai further and it reflected in the way the lower order failed to push the scoring. They swung their bats at everything, made room to improvise and managed only two fours and a six in the last ten overs, which yielded 46 runs. Punjab managed only twice the number of fours in their entire innings. The gulf between the two sides was, however, much wider than those figures indicate.

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals Match Bulletin

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals, IPL, Durban

Langeveldt and Shukla knock defending champions out

May 20, 2009

Kolkata Knight Riders 102 for 6 (Shukla 48*, Munaf 2-15) beat Rajasthan Royals 101 for 9 (Langeveldt 3-15, Agarkar 2-15) by four wickets

The much-ridiculed underdogs of this year, Kolkata Knight Riders, have ended the tournament for the defending champions, Rajasthan Royals. But not before they almost made a mess of the chase. Laxmi Ratan Shukla was the saviour for Kolkata, after they had stumbled to 45 for 6 in 11.3 overs. That they were chasing such a low total was thanks to Charl Langeveldt, whose 3 for 15 exposed Kolkata's blunder of not playing him throughout the tournament.

Full report to follow

20 overs Rajasthan Royals 101-9 (Langeveldt 3-15, Agarkar 2-15) v Kolkata Knight Riders

A must-win game for Rajasthan Royals turned into the most frenzied innings of the tournament. The most expensive first over of the tournament, a wicket next ball followed by so many that the first-over score took five more overs to double, debutant Charl Langeveldt exposing the blunder in not playing him all these days, three run-outs, all packed into 20 overs. And by the end of those 20 overs, the much-ridiculed underdogs of this year were well on their way to ending the tournament for the underdogs of last year.

It has been quite a fashion this season, started ironically by Shane Warne, to throw the ball first up to a spinner. And it worked temporarily for Warne's team as Naman Ojha slogged and lofted Brad Hodge for three sixes to take 22 off the first over. Throw in a dropped catch and it was fair to assume that normal service had resumed for Kolkata Knight Riders.

How fitting it was that when Langeveldt finally got a game he was not given the first over. But the first ball Langeveldt bowled was a bouncer that hurried Rob Quiney up, got the top edge and nestled in wicketkeeper Shoaib Shaikh's gloves. The extra pace and bounce was obvious and the away movement lethal. In his next over Langeveldt removed Ojha, with one that kicked off from just back of a length, and moved away too. In between these two strikes, Swapnil Asnodkar ran himself out when going for a single after having played the ball down the pitch. From 22 for 0 to 28 for 3 in 15 balls.

Kolkata then hustled Rajasthan with quick bowling and athletic fielding. Ashok Dinda proved the perfect foil to Langeveldt, not lacking in intent, and pulling off the Asnodkar run-out. Ajit Agarkar removed Johan Botha in his first over, and when Yusuf Pathan sliced him for four in the same over, Rajasthan had barely doubled the 22 they got in the first over. In a smart move Brendon McCullum brought Langeveldt back just before the time-out. Sure enough he delivered, with Niraj Patel's wicket, as Rajasthan stumbled to 62 for 5 in 10 overs.

That, though, was not the messiest Rajasthan innings would get. They still had Yusuf and Ravindra Jadeja batting, and Tyron Henderson to follow. Run-outs, both of which Jadeja had a hand in, accounted for Yusuf and Henderson in four balls. When Yusuf dug a yorker out, Jadeja called him for one, then realised the ball had traveled too fast towards Laxmi Shukla, the bowler. Jadeja didn't go through, and the most dangerous batsman in the team was left stranded. Jadeja's face told a story of guilt. Three balls later, when Jadeja called Henderson for a quick single, he found to his horror that Henderson was too slow, and that David Hussey had hit the stumps direct.

From 62 for 7 in 11.2, all Rajasthan could attain was respectability. But Langeveldt had a good support cast today. None of Dinda, Agarkar, Sourav Sarkar or Shukla provided Rajasthan any respite. Sarkar accounted for Jadeja when he could have made up for the Yusuf run-out. Only nine came after Jadeja's dismissal, in the last 3.4 overs. The last over, from Agarkar, went for 21 less than the first, and also yielded Warne's wicket.

Today's Live Cricket Match 20 May 2009

	Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Jaipur Rajasthan Royals
Venue :Kingsmead, Durban Live action starts from: 10:30 GMT (16:00 IST) T20 IPL 2009 Match
KKR Vs JRR

			Chennai Super Kings Vs Mohali Punjab Kings
Venue :ingsmead, Durban Live action starts from: 14:30 GMT (20:00 IST) T20 IPL 2009 Match
CSK Vs MPK

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Daredevils, IPL, Johannesburg

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Daredevils, IPL, Johannesburg

Litmus test for Bangalore

May 18, 2009

Match facts

May 19, 2009
Start time 16.30 (14.30 GMT, 20.00 IST)

Big Picture

	Ross Taylor seriously needs some support © Associated Press

With the IPL moving towards the last leg of league games, things are desperate for Royal Challengers Bangalore. They have to win their last two games. A loss to Delhi Daredevils will seriously dent their chances of going further, but a win will suddenly put the pressure on Deccan Chargers, Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, on 14, 14 and 13 points respectively. Should Bangalore beat Delhi, their last match against Deccan turns into a knock-out affair. Bangalore kept their semi-final hopes alive by pulling off an upset victory against Chennai Super Kings. Up against the top side in the tournament they will have to be at their best - there simply is no room for slipping.

Delhi are clearly the better side, with a far stronger opening combination and middle order, Twenty20's best slow bowler, a legspinner in form and a potent new-ball pair. Bangalore have constantly shuffled their dismal opening combinations and don't have a great pace attack, so plenty falls on Anil Kumble's shoulders. How Kumble, Ross Taylor, Robin Uthappa, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid and Praveen Kumar match up against Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, AB de Villiers, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dirk Nannes, Ashish Nehra, Amit Mishra and possibly Daniel Vettori could well decide how this one swings.

Bangalore's support cast has been tidy if unspectacular. R Vinay Kumar and Roelof van der Merwe have six and five wickets respectively, and Virat Kohli is their third-highest run-getter. How these players perform under pressure is also critical. While Delhi's big-name openers have struggled, de Villiers and Dilshan have been awesome in this IPL. Praveen and Vinay can hope to dislodge Sehwag and Gambhir again, but getting de Villiers and Dilshan is the key. After leading Delhi on a smooth ride to the semi-finals, Sehwag has set his sights on regaining his form with the bat. Potentially bad news for Bangalore.

Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: WWLLW
Bangalore's main concern is - no surprises - the opening combination. Uthappa was promoted and failed last game, Kallis got a first-ball duck, and they could be wary of having to depend on Jesse Ryder, who hasn't found the middle of the bat in weeks. Dravid's return from paternity leave has seen a drastic dip in form and Kohli has been sporadic. Taylor has two Man-of-the-Match awards in two games; he needs support, and fast.

Delhi Daredevils: WLWWW
Once again, after Sehwag and Gambhir failed, up stepped de Villiers and Dilshan in Delhi's win over Rajasthan. Mishra took three in an over at the death, Farveez Maharoof took two, and most impressive was the return of Avishkar Salvi, who replaced Pradeep Sangwan and took 2 for 19 in four overs. Nehra was again mind-bogglingly economical. Most of these players have carried the team over the last couple weeks.

Watch out for

Jacques Kallis: This is a class act we're talking about. With Bangalore needing to win at all costs, what better stage than this for one of the game's best allrounders to step up. He's vastly experienced, aware of the conditions, and probably very hungry after a first-ball duck in the last game.

Ashish Nehra: If there's one bowler who can stop Kallis in his tracks, it's Nehra. The third-highest wicket-taker this season, Nehra has struck early and at the death, where he has been especially noteworthy with his yorkers and changes of pace. Nehra's economy rate in the last two matches is a stunning two; he has conceded just 14 runs in seven overs.

Teams

You never know what opening pair Bangalore will walk out with. The bowling was influential in beating Chennai and Bangalore should stick with that combination.

Bangalore: 1 Robin Uthappa, 2 Jacques Kallis, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Virat Kohli, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Roelof van der Merwe, 8 B Akhil/KP Appanna, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 R Vinay Kumar, 11 Anil Kumble (capt).

Each of Delhi's bowlers struck in their last win. Delhi dropped Vettori for that match and brought back Nannes, who wasn't as successful as in earlier games but probably will still keep Vettori out before the semis. Delhi's batting should remain untouched.

Delhi: 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag (capt), 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Mithun Manhas, 7 Farveez Maharoof, 8 Dirk Nannes, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Aavishkar Salvi, 11 Ashish Nehra.

Stats and trivia

12 - the number of catches by de Villiers in the tournament, the most by a fielder in the tournament. Delhi's best score is 189 for 5 against Chennai in Durban. Bangalore's Praveen Kumar has the highest strike-rate of his team - 146.51. Head-to-head record Delhi won both their contests against Bangalore in the 2008 season. The first match was a close contest with Bangalore falling short of Delhi's 191 by 10 runs. Delhi's margin of victory at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was five wickets with ten balls to spare. This season Delhi beat Bangalore by six wickets.

Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL, Centurion

Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL, Centurion

McCullum and Hodge gun down Chennai

May 18, 2009

Kolkata Knight Riders 189 for 3 (McCullum 81, Hodge 71*) beat Chennai Super Kings 188 for 3 (Raina 52, Dhoni 40) by seven wickets

How they were out

	McCullum displayed the same destructive batting that was on view in the first game of the IPL last year

Kolkata Knight Riders, powered by fifties from Brendon McCullum and Brad Hodge, staged one of the most thrilling chases in the tournament and showed why the bottom-placed team may still prove to be the king-makers in this crucial last phase of the league games. Chennai Super Kings, who looked set to seal a semi-final spot with their mammoth total batting first, will now have to put the celebrations on hold.

The run-chase owed its success to three partnerships: the opening stand totally dominated by McCullum, his association with Hodge, where he took charge initially before letting his partner step up, and Hodge's match-winning association with Wriddhiman Saha, whose calm presence combined well with the timely acceleration to stun Chennai.

The return of the seamers at the death heralded a decisive shift in the game as Hodge found an unlikely foil in Saha, who smote a six and a four in the 17th over from L Balaji that went for 14. The next over from Albie Morkel bled 13, with Hodge collecting two fours, one slapped back past the bowler and the other swung behind square leg.

With Chennai short of options, it was hoped that Balaji would be able to hit the blockhole but he was guilty of the same slip-up that cost Kolkata their previous two games. He gifted Hodge length balls, two of which were struck clean and straight over long-off, and a generous full toss to Saha off the final ball, who duly obliged to smack it over midwicket to bring it down to six off the last over. Suresh Raina tried his best, but despite an attacking field and a dot ball first up, the wave was against him. Hodge and Saha stole singles off the second and third deliveries, a tight run to cover on the fourth, before a swat to long-on with a deep enough Jacob Oram allowed them to scamper back for the second and level the scores. With the field brought up, an incredibly calm Saha chipped Raina over cover to seal a comeback win.

McCullum threatened to wrest the game with his blistering innings, displaying the same destructive batting that was on view in the first match of the IPL's inaugural version. His dominant innings today was as much a reflection on his brilliance as the lack of support from the other end, especially in the initial stages.

McCullum announced his intent from the first over, slashing one past slip, and clipping Morkel past square leg. Keeping him off strike became Chennai's immediate objective and Sourav Ganguly made their job far simpler, struggling to get bat on ball, a stark contrast to McCullum's free flow. McCullum feasted on Morkel, smashing him for 16 in the third over, while Ganguly was made to look like an irritable fly-swatter by Sudeep Tyagi. He was eventually put out of his misery, chopping one on from Muttiah Muralitharan, though Chennai, in hindsight, would have wished he had continued.

The dismissal did not deter McCullum; the run-chase received a massive boost in Tyagi's next over, as Chennai were suddenly made to grapple with the possibility of an upset. Tyagi was clattered for four consecutive fours - two over cover, one through fine leg and the other over midwicket - before gifting a freebie that was promptly dispatched into the stands. Kolkata had made 56 in the powerplay of which 50 had come off McCullum's blade.

Hodge has been Kolkata's best batsman in the tournament, and adapted to his subordinate role superbly, allowing McCullum the bulk of the strike, something his predecessor had appallingly failed to do. The scoring dipped with Murali and Shadab Jakati doing their utmost to restrain Kolkata, but McCullum's determination to put the horror of his team's run behind him bode ominously for Chennai. If the Powerplay was lit up by his brute force, his handling of spin exhibited his subtle touch, as he opened the face to Murali's doosra, chopped him through point and shared the floor with Hodge, who cut loose himself, thumping Jakati for two sixes.

Prime Numbers 12 The number of sixes hit by Brendon McCullum, the highest by a Kolkata batsman this season 8.58 L Balaji's economy rate in the tournament, the worst by a Chennai bowler 90 McCullum and Brad Hodge's partnership in this game, the highest for any wicket for Kolkata 67 The percentage of wickets falling as a result of run-outs during the Chennai innings 62 The number of runs scored by McCullum in boundaries, the third-highest in the tournament

McCullum survived a chance on 66, dropped by Oram, who palmed a catch over the ropes at long-on, leaving Chennai with a sense of foreboding as the match slipped away. However, the lapse did not prove too costly, as Jakati just managed to squeeze one through his attempted swipe to just kiss the offstump. When the in-form David Hussey was run out seven balls later, Chennai had fought back to steal the advantage which seemed to hinge on the fortunes of one batsman, but as they were to find out, it wasn't quite so simple.

Chennai were missing Matthew Hayden, their most prolific batsman this season, but his team-mates made up for that by posting a formidable score. The effort owed to a calculated performance by Raina and an equally shrewd effort by MS Dhoni, who built on a solid opening stand to put Kolkata Knight Riders under pressure.

Raina shrugged off a relative slide in form - he had managed just 48 in his previous three innings - to quickly slip into his natural mode of play, using the flicks, dabs and cuts that characterize his batting with relentless frequency and opened up in timely fashion to retain the tempo set by the openers. Dhoni, meanwhile, proved again that he remains Chennai's best middle-order batsman. He had been involved in four 50-plus stands before this, and added another to his tally, mixing up his raw power and rotating the strike. The innings was set up by an admirable display by the openers Parthiv Patel and George Bailey who put together a busy stand of 59, attacking the seamers early on and retaining the momentum once the spinners came on, scoring a boundary virtually every over amid a spate of singles and twos which never allowed the bowlers to settle into a rhythm.

However, their efforts were in vain as McCullum's blistering knock and Hodge's reliability produced an upset which has made Chennai's hold on the No.2 spot in the points table a little shaky.

Result Updt Of IPL T20

41st match: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders at Centurion - May 12, 2009
Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 6 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
Kolkata Knight Riders 173/4 (20/20 ov); Royal Challengers Bangalore 176/4 (19.2/20 ov)

42nd match: Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians at Centurion - May 12, 2009
Mumbai Indians won by 8 wickets (with 22 balls remaining)
Kings XI Punjab 119/9 (20/20 ov); Mumbai Indians 122/2 (16.2/20 ov)

43rd match: Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils at Durban - May 13, 2009
Delhi Daredevils won by 12 runs
Delhi Daredevils 173/7 (20/20 ov); Deccan Chargers 161 (19.4/20 ov)

44th match: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings at Durban - May 14, 2009
Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 2 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)
Chennai Super Kings 129 (19.4/20 ov); Royal Challengers Bangalore 132/8 (19.4/20 ov)

45th match: Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals at Durban - May 14, 2009
Rajasthan Royals won by 2 runs
Rajasthan Royals 145/7 (20/20 ov); Mumbai Indians 143 (19.5/20 ov)

46th match: Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab at Bloemfontein - May 15, 2009
Kings XI Punjab won by 6 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)
Delhi Daredevils 120/9 (20/20 ov); Kings XI Punjab 123/4 (19.1/20 ov)

47th match: Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians at Port Elizabeth - May 16, 2009
Chennai Super Kings won by 7 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)
Mumbai Indians 147/5 (20/20 ov); Chennai Super Kings 151/3 (19.1/20 ov)

48th match: Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders at Johannesburg - May 16, 2009
Deccan Chargers won by 6 wickets (with 0 balls remaining)
Kolkata Knight Riders 160/5 (20/20 ov); Deccan Chargers 166/4 (20/20 ov)

49th match: Deccan Chargers v Kings XI Punjab at Johannesburg - May 17, 2009
Kings XI Punjab won by 1 run
Kings XI Punjab 134/7 (20/20 ov); Deccan Chargers 133/8 (20/20 ov)

50th match: Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals at Bloemfontein - May 17, 2009
Delhi Daredevils won by 14 runs
Delhi Daredevils 150/3 (20/20 ov); Rajasthan Royals 136/9 (20/20 ov)

Todays LIVE Matches 18 May 2009

	Chennai Super Kings Vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Venue :SuperSport Park, Centurion Live action starts from: 14:30 GMT (20:00 IST) T20 IPL 2009 Twenty20 match Match LIVE ON SONY SET MAX CSK Vs KKR

Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL

Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL Chennai collapse after Hayden's hurricane knock May 14, 2009 20 overs Chennai Super Kings 129 (Hayden 60, Kumble 2-12, Kallis 2-18) v Royal Challengers Bangalore Jacques Kallis got the ball rolling by removing M Vijay and Suresh Raina at the top of the order © Associated Press An innings of two halves began with another brutal Matthew Hayden knock - 60 off 38 balls - before Chennai Super Kings dissolved in the face of some tight Bangalore bowling, losing their last six wickets for 28 runs and ending with an under-par 129. Hayden's early power-hitting had managed to keep Chennai on track for a good score after they lost two wickets inside the Powerplay, the run-rate approaching nine an over. Bangalore's bowlers took control after the strategy break, adding pressure to the fall of wickets by conceding only singles. Chennai crossed 100 in the 13th over but managed only 28 more in the next seven. The noose was tightened by Anil Kumble and Jacques Kallis - chiefly responsible for stemming the run flow with two wickets in consecutive overs, one of them a maiden. Kumble opened for Bangalore with a tight over, conceding only four runs. But his effort was undone in the next two - bowled by R Vinay Kumar and Praveen Kumar - that went for 28 runs. Hayden looked to mess up the fast bowlers' lines by repeatedly stepping out and swatting to the ball for boundaries over the fielders. He pulled, flicked and drove Vinay for fours; hammered a short and wide delivery from Praveen over extra cover for four before pulling him for a flat six off a delivery pitched outside off. Kallis' entry into the attack gave Bangalore some respite from the manic hitting. After playing out two dot balls, M Vijay tried to hook a short one but could not get enough of the bat on it and was caught by Robin Uthappa at fine leg. Kallis then bowled three consecutive short balls to the new batsman Suresh Raina, who fended off the first one, defended the next and played and missed the final. He eventually also fell to the short ball but not before hitting two successive fours off Praveen and cutting Kallis for another four. He had scored 13 off nine balls when Kallis once again dug it short, this time on leg stump, into Raina's body. Raina hopped on his toes and pushed the ball away from his body to a diving Roelof van der Merwe at midwicket. Chennai had scored 52 in the Powerplay overs, and Hayden and MS Dhoni added 20 more in the next four over as Kumble, Kallis and van der Merwe kept it tight. Kallis bowled his quota on the trot and finished with 4-1-18-2. He mixed the shorter balls with fuller deliveries and used a short leg to keep Dhoni quiet. Even so, Dhoni and Hayden kept the run-rate over six an over. Dhoni picked the singles and Hayden the boundaries. He reached his fifty with a clever reverse-paddle to third man. It began to unravel when Dhoni fell, trying to go for a big shot, as van der Merwe pulled off a stunning catch off his own bowling by diving to his wrong side. But the fall of wickets hadn't affected Hayden's batting one bit: he launched van der Merwe for a six over his head one ball after Dhoni's wicket. But he fell in the next over by Kumble, when he mistimed a pull and was caught by at the boundary by Vinay Kumar. After that the other bowlers joined in tightening that noose: van der Merwe conceded three in his final over, B Akhil 2 off his first, Vinay Kumar and Praveen picked up a wicket each, while Kumble ended S Badrinath's agonising nine-ball 2. Bangalore need to win this game to stay in contention for the semis and their bowlers gave them the edge they needed

Today's Live Match 14 May 2009

Bangalore Royal Challengers Vs Chennai Super Kings

Venue :Kingsmead, Durban Live action starts from: 10:30 GMT (16:00 IST) T20 IPL 2009 Twenty20 match Match

BRC
Vs
CSK

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SONY SET MAX


Mumbai Indians Vs Jaipur Rajasthan Royals

Venue :Kingsmead, Durban Live action starts from: 14:30 GMT (20:00 IST) T20 IPL 2009 Twenty20 match Match

MI
Vs
JRR

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England Vs West Indies

Venue :Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street Live action starts from: 10:00 GMT (15:30 IST) Test West Indies Tour of England 2009 Test Match Match

ENG
Vs
WI

IPL RESULT UPDATE

41st match: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders at Centurion - May 12, 2009Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 6 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)Kolkata Knight Riders 173/4 (20/20 ov); Royal Challengers Bangalore 176/4 (19.2/20 ov)

42nd match: Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians at Centurion - May 12, 2009Mumbai Indians won by 8 wickets (with 22 balls remaining)Kings XI Punjab 119/9 (20/20 ov); Mumbai Indians 122/2 (16.2/20 ov)